February 24, 2015

Updated 4:48 p.m. | Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who is expected to announce a bid against Republican Sen. Rob PortmanWednesday, may get a clear shot at the nomination.

The only Democrat in the race until now, Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, is raking in donations from high-profile donors, announcing endorsements and putting out policy proposals. The Democrat recently told CQ Roll Call he is “running to win.”

Updated 4:45 p.m. | A special election in Mississippi’s 1st District will take place on May 12, according to The Associated Press. The winner will succeed the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee, a Republican who died on Feb. 6 after a battle with brain cancer.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised more than its Republican counterpart in January, bringing in $4.5 million as it begins its efforts to take control of the Senate in 2016.

Despite being in the minority, the DSCC said this haul is its best ever in the January of a non-election year. The committee had more than $2.6 million in cash on hand and had $15 million in operating debt at the end of the month. Full story

What’s in a leadership PAC name? Plenty of dough, as the members who run these personal political action committees have learned. Leadership PACs run by lawmakers pulled in roughly $400 million in the 2014 election cycle, according to a CQ Roll Call analysis of data.

Such PACs compete not only for dollars, but for clever names, often concocting elaborate acronyms or catchy regional references to woo potential donors. From the Penguin PAC run by Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, to the Blue Hen PAC run by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., leadership PACs are named for animals, plants, landmarks, colors and the campaign platforms of the politicians who run them. Full story

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, a Democrat, announced Thursday he will challenge GOP Sen. Roy Blunt in 2016.

“We can’t change Washington if we don’t change the people we send there,” Kander said in a video announcing his bid. “I believe it’s time for a new generation of leaders who’ve come of age at a time of unprecedented challenges and threats to our country, and who are committed to bringing people together and doing what’s right no matter what the personal cost.”

February 18, 2015

Updated 2:00 p.m. | U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson’s resignation could mean Democrats have found a potential candidate to challenge Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., in 2016.

Johnson, the son of former Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., announced Wednesday he will join a private law firm in Sioux Falls. As a U.S. Attorney, Johnson was prohibited from engaging in politics; as a private lawyer, he would be free to launch a campaign.

Updated 10:16 a.m. | Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., will officially run for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, she announced Wednesday, leaving vacant her Los Angeles-based House district for the second time since 2010.

“My father, beloved County Supervisor Kenny Hahn, always stressed to me the importance of being a champion for the people. He instilled in me the values of courage, integrity, and public service — and most importantly the simple principle of always putting constituents and local neighborhoods first. With that philosophy in mind, I have decided not to run for re-election to Congress and instead enter the race for Los Angeles County Supervisor District 4,” Hahn said in a statement.

February 17, 2015

The senator is one of Democrats’ top targets in 2016. But while his colleagues in competitive seats have built up million-dollar war chests, Johnson had just $606,000 in his campaign account at the end of the year. Full story

February 13, 2015

The National Republican Congressional Committee announced 12 members will kick-start its Patriot Program for the House GOP’s most vulnerable incumbents, according to a news release provided first to CQ Roll Call.

Eleven of the members were elected in 2014, when Republicans made huge gains across the country. The 12 members represent districts where Democrats typically perform well in presidential cycles, making them top targets in 2016.